1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compressor.
2. Description of the Art
In some compressors, lubricating oil is supplied to the suction side of the compressor to lubricate movable parts of the compression mechanism serving to compress a fluid, and in such compressors, the lubricating oil is contained in a refrigerant. Where the compressor is provided in a refrigeration circuit, when the refrigerant including the lubricating oil is discharged from the compressor, the lubricating oil flowing out together with the refrigerant adheres to an evaporator, etc., in the refrigeration circuit, thereby degrading heat exchange in the refrigeration circuit. In order to prevent such decrease in heat exchange efficiency, the lubricating oil is separated from the refrigerant on the discharge side of the compressor and returned into the compressor. The returned lubricating oil is used to lubricate sliding portions and sealing portions (shaft seal and the like) of the drive mechanism of the compressor and, for example in the case of a scroll compressor, to lubricate sliding portions between a movable scroll and a fixed scroll.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-188394 describes a scroll compressor having a separation chamber for separating the lubricating oil contained in the refrigerant. In the above compressor, the separation chamber is formed by arranging a recess provided at one end side of the first housing and a recess provided in the fixed scroll opposite each other. A separation tube extending in the vertical direction is provided inside the separation chamber. As a result, the compressed refrigerant is discharged from the refrigerant discharge chamber through a communicating hole provided in the separation chamber, and the discharged refrigerant flows so as to swirl along the inner wall of the separation chamber, thereby enabling centrifugal separation of the lubricating oil contained therein. The swirling refrigerant is discharged from the lower end of the separation tube into the refrigerant storage chamber and then discharged to the outside from the refrigerant discharge port.
However, in the compressor described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-188394, the separation tube is put between and held by the first housing and fixed scroll. Therefore, a problem is that the installation dimensions required to prevent the separation tube from falling out are severely restricted and the structure becomes complex. Yet another problem is that the assembly operation requires time and effort.